.gif)
Putnam County Courthouse (New York)
Encyclopedia
New York
's Putnam County Courthouse is located on Gleneida Avenue (NY 52
) across from the eastern terminus of NY 301
in downtown Carmel
, the county seat
, overlooking Lake Gleneida
. First built in 1814, two years after the county
itself was established, it is the second-oldest county courthouse still in use in the state after Fulton County
's.
In 1847 it was renovated extensively. At that time the Classical Revival
portico
and column
s were added. Architect James Townsend used commercially available (although inexact) copies of the Corinthian
capital
s from the Monument of Lysicrates
in Athens
. For this and its historic importance in the county's history it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1976.
rectangular gable
-roofed frame
building, with clapboard
siding on the north and south sides and horizontal plank
s on its west (front) facade. The pediment
ed gable is supported by the four Corinthian columns, behind which is the main entrance, with molded
classical detail. Similar ornamentation
can be found on the window lintels. The two front corners have large pilaster
s; the original stone plinth
blocks have been replaced with concrete
copies and the astragal
s taken down to help prevent dry rot
in the columns.
The stone walls of the original county jail
are still visible on the south side. A two-bay east wing, added later, extends from the rear. A cupola
is atop the roof.
to its north in 1812, it required the creation of two courts. Trials were held in Carmel's Baptist
meeting house
until a courthouse could be built. After three months, one state legislator who had voted for Putnam County's creation, Robert Weeks, sold it a one-half acre (2,000 m²) lot in the middle of Carmel.
A local builder and iron miner, James Townsend, was hired for the job. He finished it two years later for just under $4,000, using some of his locally mined ironwork, which still remains in the jail section. It opened for court on February 15, 1815.
The county grew, and by the 1840s the original courthouse could not handle its workload. Officials initially decided to build a second one in Cold Spring
, at the other end of the road that became Route 301, on the Hudson River
where much of the county's population was (and is). But a deed
restriction in the original land acquisition forbade the county from building its courthouse anywhere but the original land, and so the existing courthouse was renovated and expanded into today's structure. The Corinthian column capitals, popular in pattern books of the time, were likely carved in New York City and shipped to Carmel, as they were for many other buildings in the lower and mid-Hudson where similar capitals have been found.
In 1855 another jail wing was built to replace the one on the northeast corner. The county sheriff
began living in the building at this time, and it became a tradition for his wife to cook food for the jail inmates. Another jail wing was built in 1907.
A fire
in 1924 destroyed most of the upper story, but it was rebuilt to its original appearance. Repairs could do nothing about the building's age, however, and by the later 20th century some degradation was becoming apparent. The sheriffs and their wives moved out in 1966, and eleven years later the jail itself was closed. In December 1988, it was closed for repairs, ending 174 years of continuous use.
The repairs took six years, longer than expected, due to many problems encountered during the process. Since it reopened in 1994, it has been home to two of the county's judges and their chambers
. The old jail cells have been used mainly as storage space. A newer, more modern court facility was built behind the Putnam County Office Building and opened January 2, 2008.
Although the new County Courthouse opened in 2008, the Historic Courthouse is still used for the Surrogates Court and the main courtroom is also used as the legislative chambers of the Putnam County Legislature.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Putnam County Courthouse is located on Gleneida Avenue (NY 52
New York State Route 52
New York State Route 52 is a long state highway in the southeastern part of New York in the United States. It generally runs from west to east, beginning at the Pennsylvania state line in the Delaware River near Narrowsburg, crossing the Hudson River on the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, and ending...
) across from the eastern terminus of NY 301
New York State Route 301
New York State Route 301 is an intra-county state highway stretching across three-quarters of Putnam County, New York, in the United States. The western terminus of NY 301 is at an intersection with NY 9D in Cold Spring. Its eastern terminus is at a junction with NY 52 in...
in downtown Carmel
Carmel Hamlet, New York
Carmel Hamlet is the seat of Putnam County, New York, United States. It is a hamlet located in the Town of Carmel. As of the 2000 census, the population was 5,650....
, the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
, overlooking Lake Gleneida
Lake Gleneida
Lake Gleneida is a controlled lake in Carmel, New York, United States. It is part of New York City's water supply system, created when an original pond was dammed in 1870.-Geography:...
. First built in 1814, two years after the county
Putnam County, New York
Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson River Valley. Putnam county formed in 1812, when it detached from Dutchess County. , the population was 99,710. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The county seat is the hamlet of Carmel...
itself was established, it is the second-oldest county courthouse still in use in the state after Fulton County
Fulton County Courthouse (New York)
Fulton County Courthouse, originally known as Tryon County Courthouse, is a historic courthouse building located at Johnstown in Fulton County, New York. It was built in 1772–1773 and is a Late Georgian style public building. It is a -story brick structure, five bays wide and three bays deep. It...
's.
In 1847 it was renovated extensively. At that time the Classical Revival
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
and column
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
s were added. Architect James Townsend used commercially available (although inexact) copies of the Corinthian
Corinthian order
The Corinthian order is one of the three principal classical orders of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric and Ionic. When classical architecture was revived during the Renaissance, two more orders were added to the canon, the Tuscan order and the Composite order...
capital
Capital (architecture)
In architecture the capital forms the topmost member of a column . It mediates between the column and the load thrusting down upon it, broadening the area of the column's supporting surface...
s from the Monument of Lysicrates
Choragic Monument of Lysicrates
The Choragic Monument of Lysicrates near the Acropolis of Athens was erected by the choregos Lysicrates, a wealthy patron of musical performances in the Theater of Dionysus to commemorate the award of first prize in 335/334 BCE, to one of the performances he had sponsored...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. For this and its historic importance in the county's history it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1976.
Building
The courthouse is a two-story, 5-by-8-bayBay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
rectangular gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
-roofed frame
Framing (construction)
Framing, in construction known as light-frame construction, is a building technique based around structural members, usually called studs, which provide a stable frame to which interior and exterior wall coverings are attached, and covered by a roof comprising horizontal ceiling joists and sloping...
building, with clapboard
Clapboard (architecture)
Clapboard, also known as bevel siding or lap siding or weather-board , is a board used typically for exterior horizontal siding that has one edge thicker than the other and where the board above laps over the one below...
siding on the north and south sides and horizontal plank
Plank
Plank may refer to:*Plank *Plank , an isometric exercise for the abdominal muscles*The Plank , a British comedy film with no dialogue*The Plank , a remake of the 1967 film...
s on its west (front) facade. The pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
ed gable is supported by the four Corinthian columns, behind which is the main entrance, with molded
Molding (decorative)
Molding or moulding is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood...
classical detail. Similar ornamentation
Ornament (architecture)
In architecture and decorative art, ornament is a decoration used to embellish parts of a building or object. Large figurative elements such as monumental sculpture and their equivalents in decorative art are excluded from the term; most ornament does not include human figures, and if present they...
can be found on the window lintels. The two front corners have large pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s; the original stone plinth
Plinth
In architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a column, pedestal, statue, monument or structure rests. Gottfried Semper's The Four Elements of Architecture posited that the plinth, the hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests...
blocks have been replaced with concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
copies and the astragal
Astragal
An astragal is a moulding profile composed of a half-round surface surrounded by two flat planes . An astragal is sometimes referred to as a miniature torus...
s taken down to help prevent dry rot
Dry rot
Dry rot refers to a type of wood decay caused by certain types of fungi, also known as True Dry Rot, that digests parts of the wood which give the wood strength and stiffness...
in the columns.
The stone walls of the original county jail
Jail
A jail is a short-term detention facility in the United States and Canada.Jail may also refer to:In entertainment:*Jail , a 1966 Malayalam movie*Jail , a 2009 Bollywood movie...
are still visible on the south side. A two-bay east wing, added later, extends from the rear. A cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
is atop the roof.
History
After the New York state legislature divided Putnam County from DutchessDutchess County, New York
Dutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...
to its north in 1812, it required the creation of two courts. Trials were held in Carmel's Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
meeting house
Meeting house
A meeting house describes a building where a public meeting takes place. This includes secular buildings which function like a town or city hall, and buildings used for religious meetings, particularly of some non-conformist Christian denominations....
until a courthouse could be built. After three months, one state legislator who had voted for Putnam County's creation, Robert Weeks, sold it a one-half acre (2,000 m²) lot in the middle of Carmel.
A local builder and iron miner, James Townsend, was hired for the job. He finished it two years later for just under $4,000, using some of his locally mined ironwork, which still remains in the jail section. It opened for court on February 15, 1815.
The county grew, and by the 1840s the original courthouse could not handle its workload. Officials initially decided to build a second one in Cold Spring
Cold Spring, New York
Cold Spring is a village located in the Town of Philipstown in Putnam County, New York. The population was 1,983 at the 2000 census. It borders the smaller village of Nelsonville...
, at the other end of the road that became Route 301, on the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
where much of the county's population was (and is). But a deed
Deed
A deed is any legal instrument in writing which passes, or affirms or confirms something which passes, an interest, right, or property and that is signed, attested, delivered, and in some jurisdictions sealed...
restriction in the original land acquisition forbade the county from building its courthouse anywhere but the original land, and so the existing courthouse was renovated and expanded into today's structure. The Corinthian column capitals, popular in pattern books of the time, were likely carved in New York City and shipped to Carmel, as they were for many other buildings in the lower and mid-Hudson where similar capitals have been found.
In 1855 another jail wing was built to replace the one on the northeast corner. The county sheriff
Sheriffs in the United States
In the United States, a sheriff is a county official and is typically the top law enforcement officer of a county. Historically, the sheriff was also commander of the militia in that county. Distinctive to law enforcement in the United States, sheriffs are usually elected. The political election of...
began living in the building at this time, and it became a tradition for his wife to cook food for the jail inmates. Another jail wing was built in 1907.
A fire
Structure fire
A structure fire is a fire involving the structural components of various residential buildings ranging from single-family detached homes and townhouses to apartments and tower blocks, or various commercial buildings ranging from offices to shopping malls...
in 1924 destroyed most of the upper story, but it was rebuilt to its original appearance. Repairs could do nothing about the building's age, however, and by the later 20th century some degradation was becoming apparent. The sheriffs and their wives moved out in 1966, and eleven years later the jail itself was closed. In December 1988, it was closed for repairs, ending 174 years of continuous use.
The repairs took six years, longer than expected, due to many problems encountered during the process. Since it reopened in 1994, it has been home to two of the county's judges and their chambers
Chambers (law)
A judge's chambers, often just called his or her chambers, is the office of a judge.Chambers may also refer to the type of courtroom where motions related to matter of procedure are heard.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :...
. The old jail cells have been used mainly as storage space. A newer, more modern court facility was built behind the Putnam County Office Building and opened January 2, 2008.
Although the new County Courthouse opened in 2008, the Historic Courthouse is still used for the Surrogates Court and the main courtroom is also used as the legislative chambers of the Putnam County Legislature.